Abstract
Subjects typically show superior discriminative performance when a distinguishing feature appears on reinforced rather than nonreinforced trials. The phenomenon is usually attributed to the relative predictiveness of the reinforcer by different stimulus elements. However, stimulus addition may be more effective than stimulus deletion as a signal. By removing the standard intertriai intervals, we made addition and deletion equally predictive of the reinforcer in four operant experiments involving between- and within-subject comparisons. Pigeons consistently performed better on operant discriminations when the addition rather than deletion of an auditory or visual stimulus served as the cue for food. This general finding persisted despite manipulation of the relative duration and localizability of the signal. Thus mere presence as opposed to absence plays a role in the feature-positive superiority, an outcome that may reflect a fundamental, biologically based difference between addition and deletion as effective signals of reinforcement.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Agostinelli, G., Sherman, S. J., Fazio, R. H., &Hearst, E. (1986). Detecting and identifying change: Additions versus deletions.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance,12, 445–454.
Baker, T. W. (1968). Properties of compound conditioned stimuli and their components.Psychological Bulletin,70, 611–625.
Forbes, D. T., &Holland, P. (1985). Spontaneous configuring in conditioned flavor aversion.Journal of Experimental Psychology. Animal Behavior Processes,11, 224–240.
Gibbon, J., &Balsam, P. (1981). Spreading association in time. In C. M. Locurto, H. S. Terrace, & J. Gibbon (Eds.),Autoshaping and conditioning theory (pp. 219–253) New York. Academic Press.
Gormezano, I. (1972) Investigations of defense and reward conditioning in the rabbit In A. H. Black & W. F. Prokasy (Eds.),Classical conditioning II Current research and theory (pp 151–181) New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Hearst, E. (1978) Stimulus relationships and feature selection in learn ing and behavior. In S. Hulse, H. Fowler, & W. K. Honig (Eds.),Cognitive processes in animal behavior (pp 51–88). Hillsdale, NJ Erlbaum.
Hearst, E. (1984) Absence as information: Some implications for learning, performance, and representational processes In H. L. Roitblat, T. G. Bever, & H. S. Terrace (Eds.),Animal cognition (pp 311–332). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Hearst, E. (1987) Extinction reveals stimulus control Latent learning of feature-negative discriminations in pigeons.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes,13, 52–64.
Hearst, E., &Jenkins, H. M. (1974).Sign-tracking: The stimulusrenforcer relation and directed action. Austin, TX: The Psychonomic Society.
Holland, P. C. (1985). The nature of conditioned inhibition in serial and simultaneous feature negative discriminations. In R. R. Miller & N. E. Spear (Eds.),Information processing in animals: Conditioned inhibition (pp 267–297) Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Hull, C. L. (1949). Stimulus intensity dynamism (V) and stimulus generalizationPsychological Review,56, 67–76.
Jenkins, H. M., &Sainsbury, R. S. (1969). The development of stimulus control through differential reinforcement. In N. J. Mackintosh & W. K. Honig (Eds.),Fundamental issues in associative leaming (pp 123–161) Halifax, Canada: Dalhousie University Press.
Jenkins, H. M., &Sainsbury, R. S. (1970). Discrimination learning with the distinctive feature on positive or negative trials In D. Mostofsky (Ed.),Attention Contemporary theory and analysis (pp. 239–273). New York Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Kamin, L. J. (1965). Temporal and intensity characteristics of the conditioned stimulus. In W. F. Prokasy (Ed.),Classical conditioning: A symposium (pp. 118–147). New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Kehoe, E. J. (1986). Summation and configuration in conditioning of the rabbit’s nictitating membrane response to compound stimuli.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes,12, 186–195.
Kehoe, E. J., &Gormezano, I. (1980). Configuration and combination laws in conditioning with compound stimuli.Psychological Bulletin,87, 351–378.
Kemp, S. (1985) The effect of duration on the relative detectability of brief tonal bursts and gaps in the toneBulletin of the Psychonomic Society,23, 497–499.
Levis, D. J. (1971) Short- and long-term auditory history and stimulus control in the rat.Journal of Comparative & Physiological Psychology,74, 298–314.
LoLordo, V. M. (1979). Selective associations In A. Dickinson & R. A. Boakes (Eds.),Mechanisms of learning and motivation: A memorial volume to Jerzy Konorski (pp. 367–3981. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Mackintosh, N. J. (1974)The psychology of animal learning. New York. Academic Press.
Miller, J. S., McDougall, S. A., &Zolman, J. F. (1988). The ontogeny of the feature-positive effect in young chicks.Animal Learning & Behavior,16, 195–198.
Morris, R. C. (1976). Behavioural contrast and autoshaping.Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology,28 661–666.
Newman, J., Wolff, W. T., &Hearst, E. (1980). The feature-positive effect in adult human subjects.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning & Memory,6, 630–650.
Pezdek, K., Maki, R., Valencia-Laver, D., Whetstone, T., Stoeckert, J., &Dougherty, T. (1988). Picture memory: Recognizing added and deleted details.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition,14, 468–476.
Razran, G. (1971).Mind in evolution: An East-West synthesis of learned behavior and cognition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Schulman, A. I. (1971). Detectability of the deletion of a tone from a tone-plus-noise background.Perception & Psychophysics,9, 496–498.
Staddon, J. E. R. (1983).Adaptive behavior and learning. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Weiss, S. J. (1972). Stimulus compounding in free-operant and classical conditioning: A review and analysis.Psychological Bulletin,78, 189–208.
Welker, R. L., &Wheatley, K. L. (1977). Differential acquisition of conditioned suppression in rats with increased and decreased luminance levels as CS+sLearning & Motivation,8, 247–262.
Wolff, W. T. (1983).Discrimination learning based on the presence and absence of predictive stimuli: An analysis of the feature positive effect Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported by National Institute of Mental Health Grant MH 19300.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hearst, E., Wolff, W.T. Addition versus deletion as a signal. Animal Learning & Behavior 17, 120–133 (1989). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03207627
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03207627